My power rankings

[Nicholasp27]

The only issue is that we can't be in top 3 if orlando has a better record than us because the top 3 go to the best in each of the 3 divisions.

So it's Boston, Cleveland and Orlando or Atlanta, whichever has the best record.

That leaves us at 4th if we don't beat out Orlando.

I actually like 4th best for our chances at making EC Finals if Boston remains #1 seed. We'd play Heat first round again and then Boston round 2, whom we can beat, even without homecourt advantage.

If we top 3, we may have to play a team that we don't match up as well against as we do against the Heat. It'd suck to lose first round to Bobcats, who always seem to have our number.

No matter what, we want Boston to win the regular season, as we match up against them better than we do Cleveland/Orlando.

[jerrywest]

Just did the research.

Analysis:

Our divison even after taking away the Hawks and Magic records still has a higher winning percentage than the others without Bos or Cle. While Boston has a slightly stronger non-division schedule, they play less games against the stronger teams, we play less game against weaker teams, meaning we dont have the oppurtunity to pick up as many "cheap wins" as they do. What all this means is that Atlanta has the toughest remaining schedule, the Celtics have the weakest. This does not include games in which "the big 4" play one another since they all will see each other 4 times. This also doesnt include the west teams since each see's them twice, therefore the west record would be the same for all 4 teams in the end

Thanks for the nice research.

Orlando has the easiest remaining schedule and Boston has the hardest remaining schedule. Boston had by far the easiest schedule so far.

http://www.kiva.net/...rts/nbasend.htm

Magic also has 3 more home games than Hawks do. + Orlando has 1 extra home game against Atlanta still to play. They also will get their starting lineup together for the first time soon when all star point guard Nelson comes back.

I think Orlando will win the East. Sooner or later one of the old Celtics trio will miss a lot of games.

Law of average is more average on old geezers.

I think our margin of wins have skewed all objective predictors our way severely. All the subjective Pundits, like Ford, are scared to thrown their voo doo on us.

Edited December 15, 2009 by jerrywest